Here’s the rundown of the pros and cons of the web design platform, Showit (the go-to platform for creative entrepreneurs who want complete control over their websites).
*Last updated August 2023.
So, what is Showit?
Showit is a web design and hosting platform that allows you to create a completely custom desktop and mobile website, all with a drag-and-drop interface that requires no coding. It integrates with WordPress for easy blogging and SEO. You can start from scratch or use a template (like from Northfolk or Tonic) to design the perfect website.
It’s a total game-changer because you can build your entire website from scratch, without stressing over code. I built my site on Showit with the help of Foil & Ink, and I haven’t looked back.
I’ve used Wix, WordPress, Squarespace and even Weebly…and none of them compared. I more than doubled my revenue in my first year using Showit.
Is Showit the same as WordPress?
Showit is its own design and website platform that is different from WordPress, but it uses WordPress for the blog! So when you buy a Showit subscription with a blog account, you’ll use Showit to design the website, and then you’ll log into WordPress to write and publish blog posts.
Pros of Showit
Limitless design ability – no coding
My absolute favorite part of Showit is the ability to create ANYTHING you want. Envision an interactive overlay filled with gorgeous custom fonts and you any design you can think of — it’s possible. Because of its drag-and-drop system, you can put everything anywhere and you’re not limited by a cumbersome interface or restricted template. Did I say no coding? Yep, it’s code free.
Custom mobile site
With Showit, you can design a custom mobile site — just as you do the desktop version. Seeing as Google is conducting mobile-first indexing lately (as in, Google looks at your mobile site first to see where you should be ranked), it’s definitely important to be able to design a custom mobile version.
This means that you can drag and drop the mobile version just as easily as the desktop version.
Keep in mind that a lot of website design platforms create the mobile version based on the desktop design. This means you’re usually limited in terms of what you can do, but not with Showit.
Your branding will be spot-on
Showit allows you to completely customize everything from the fonts to the colors and of course the design itself. This allows you to perfectly match your website to the expensive branding you invested in.
Want something bold or bright? Easy. The same goes for editorial and minimal designs.
See a luxurious Showit website here, and enjoy a bold, stand-out design here.
Supportive community & incredible connections
This pro is a tie for my favorite — Showit has one of THE best Facebook Groups I’ve seen, as in, there’s a whole group of other business owners (13,000 and counting) who are chatting it up in an active Facebook Group. In there, you’ll find discussions on everything from website design, best Showit tips and tricks, managing clients and so much more. I’ve gained friends and clients from this group! It’s a winner and is just another added benefit when you use Showit to build your business website.
So many tutorials
If you get stuck, you can ask the Facebook group or just pose a simple Google search. You’re likely to find a lot of straightforward tutorials that will help you — whether you want to add an interactive quiz, embed an email opt-in, update your color palette or adjust your contact form (I use Dubsado for mine).
Cons of Showit
There’s a learning curve
If you’re familiar with the Adobe suite (InDesign, Illustrator, etc.), Showit will come to you naturally. For those without a huge design background, though, it can be overwhelming at first. But, there are many tutorials and resources that make it easy to learn if you put your mind to it. (And trust me, you started a business. Building a website on Showit is a fun piece of the puzzle!)
It can be challenging for e-commerce
If you’re planning on selling hundreds of products, Showit probably isn’t the best option for you. However, Showit does integrate seamlessly with e-commerce plugins (like Shopify) to help you easily sell a curated collection of products (less than 50 is best). My friend at MKDesign Studio has some super helpful resources for creating a digital shop with Showit.
We use Showit with Thrivecart for our website copywriting templates, and we love it! This gives us the option to have a custom design for shop and product pages, in addition to a straightforward purchase system and personalized check-out page (where yes, we credit our dog as employee of the month).
The custom process can take a while
If you choose to build from scratch, your website creation might be a bit long-winded. It’s super worth it, though! You can get started with their templates to help speed up the process! Check out these Showit template shops as I’ve seen their results firsthand with myself and my clients: Northfolk, Foil & Ink and Tonic.
Slightly higher monthly fees
Although the monthly price is fairly low at $19-34 a month, this is actually a bit higher than what you’ll typically find for website hosting on other platforms such as WordPress or Wix. See the Showit pricing.
The mobile side is easily overlooked
It’s so quick and easy to update anything you want, i.e. that bio on your about page, or the layout for your services. But the mobile side is easily forgotten. I have to admit — I’ve updated my website only to realize a few days later that I ruined a few mobile views in the process. I can always fix it in 10 minutes or less, but don’t forget to double-check your custom mobile view if you change anything on the desktop view.
Frequently Asked Questions about Showit
Does Showit include hosting?
Yes! Hosting is included in Showit’s pricing!
Is Showit good for SEO?
In short, yes! Showit has all of the features necessary for search engine optimization or SEO. You can easily update meta descriptions, page titles and more. Plus, Showit integrates with WordPress for the blog, which means you can use plugins like Yoast to make sure that your blog SEO is on point. (Just don’t forget to compress and optimize your images with a tool like ShortPixel before you upload them!)
Remember, SEO comes down to the quality and amount of content on your website, and also takes into account many additional factors such as social media presence and online reviews. Some will argue that WordPress or Squarespace are better, but in my experience (with hundreds of SEO copywriting projects), Showit has the exact same settings and abilities necessary to drive online traffic to your site. And since Showit uses WordPress for the blog itself, you get the best of both worlds.
Plus, if you find that you’re better able to update, manage and create a beautiful user experience with Showit, your SEO will improve. Google likes websites that people like exploring. (As opposed to a clunky, hard-to-use website that you can hardly work your way around.)
Is Showit just for photographers?
A lot of Showit users are photographers, but this is because these are visual business owners who care a lot about how their websites look! As such, Showit previously focused a lot of attention on this group. However, Showit now caters to all creative businesses in general — because we all want to look good!
I’ve seen realtors, fitness companies and e-commerce brands use this platform!
Showit Website Examples
For a photographer
See the live version of this website for a wedding photographer in Sacramento, CA. (Designed by Foil & Ink.)
For a florist
See the live version of this website for a florist in Santa Barbara, CA. (Also designed by Foil & Ink on Showit.)
For a live wedding painter
See this full website here. (Designed on Showit by Studio Stefan.)
For a web designer
Where to buy a Showit website template
These are my favorite places to buy Showit website templates — in no particular order.
- Northfolk
Designed by two of the most talented, kind and creative Showit designers you’ll ever meet. Their templates are jam-packed with more content opportunities (which I love as an SEO copywriter). Use the code: SALTEDPAGES for 15% off and sail off into the sunset with a template that pushes the envelope on sales. - Tonic Site Shop
That feeling of a chic, boutique bar, but make it a template shop. Tonic is full of stylish, converting website templates. The same code, SALTEDPAGES, will also give you 15% off here! - Foil & Ink
The template shop we’ve been using for our brand, their designs are fresh and full of the calls to action we love and recommend using for high conversions.
Showit templates for photographers
While you’re at it, I would highly recommend the Elevated Experience templates from Studio Stefan — a whole collection of experience-based Showit templates for photographers. We partnered with them this year to create the content you use on your back-end every single month for conversions like your client proposals and welcome guides.
And they’re not just beautiful — there is pre-written copy from Salted Pages included with every template for you to use as is. This makes these templates the easiest to customize because you literally just need to add your photos, branding, and drop in your own name and pricing. The rest is ready for you to hit publish within minutes. (Most templates do not include the wording for you to run with.)
They’re ideal for wedding photographers, and can be adjusted for any photographer or wedding niche.
You’ll find the…
- Client proposal (that you can tailor and wow clients with)
- Investment guide (to share before or after inquiries from potential couples and even other vendors/venues!)
- Welcome guide (to streamline your experience and set expectations)
- Pricing sheet (for a minimal a la carte overview of your offers)
- Heirloom guide (to help you sell more high-end products like albums and prints)
- And the whole set if you’d like, and for $50 less
Get a free month of Showit
Use the code, saltedpages, for a free month of Showit.
See more examples
Want to see more Showit websites? Here are some recent favorites to show you what’s possible.
- David Abel, a destination wedding photography site designed by Ashley Ferreira Design
- Jennie Lou Art, a live wedding painter site designed by Meggan at Studio Stefan
- Molly McManus, a wedding photographer who customized her own Tonic template
Have any questions on the pros and cons of Showit? Let me know in the comments! Reach out here if you need custom website copywriting for your new Showit site.
